


A Void Of Worlds ((Dave Strider X Male Reader One Shot))

by Anuyushi



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Emotions, Gay, Homestuck References, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, cool kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-19 09:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22008469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anuyushi/pseuds/Anuyushi
Summary: One day, there was a meteor, and then there was nothing. I was blind and deaf, wandering aimlessly through a world that no longer existed, and then I wasn't. There was music, and then there was him. The first. ♚[© 2020 |Anuyushi ]♛
Relationships: Dave Strider/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	A Void Of Worlds ((Dave Strider X Male Reader One Shot))

A sunset can be many things.   
For some, it's an indicator night approaches and it would be time to cuddle up into their warm beds with their happy dreams.   
For others, it can be romantic as they look across the Seadrift waves to the horizon beyond home.   
A sunset can be the beginning, or for me, the end.   
Don't get me wrong, I didn't die, I was very much alive. My heart strummed against my chest like a caged bird begging to be set free. But when I saw the last sunset, it never registered I would never see it again.   
For after that day, an eternal night fell upon the land.   
For mere moments, my life had flashed across my eyes when something large was pummeling its way to earth, and then there was nothing.   
Silence welcomed me. Not even a star in the sky to light my way. For a short while, I might as well had been dead.   
To be blind and deaf in an unknown place, for everything you know to be ripped from your hands in a flash, a mere moment of passing time, was that not what death was?  
I could remember my home clearly, and the smiling faces of my parents. Would they no longer meet me as I hurried home from another boring day at school? Would I no longer taste my mother's wonderful dinners, or hear my younger siblings bicker about a new game?  
If I could go back in time, I wish I could have at least said goodbye, but that would never be possible now. The last things I said to them was in anger, and now?  
My stomach rumbled, urging me to look for food. That was the only indicator I was still alive.  
But food? Food where?   
All around me were only miles and miles of nothingness. Not even a ground was seen to support my walking. Yet I could feel a decline in my path, as though I were walking on a slope.  
I could smell fresh air, and yet there was nothing.   
I was so sure I was not blind, I knew I could see just fine, but there was something lacking.  
My feelings were confirmed as something odd floated down to the world below. It was as though I were finding a diamond in an eternity of dirt.  
A small, gentle twinkle of white that beckoned me close. Without thinking, I broke into a run, the small flake in my sight.   
Once I reached it, the flake touched the ground, vanishing into the darkness.  
And then there was another not far off, falling as though time were no object. It was as though the snowflake was dancing before it too, touched the dark ground and disappeared.   
One after another, Snowflakes were lighting up the dark world with speckles of beautiful white.   
I tried to reach for them, but the flakes fell through my body like I didn't exist.  
At that moment, a sharp terror split across my body.   
That... Couldn't have been right.  
I only missed, didn't I?  
Reaching my hand out again, I carefully angled myself to touch the flakes but I could see with my own eyes the flakes fluttering through the palm of my hand without stopping.   
"No..." The words slipped through my lips before I could stop them. "No, no, no, no, no this can't be happening," I rose my arms with an attempt to stop them in their place but it had no effect.   
My walk broke into a run, with clawing at the world around me.   
"Please, I can't be dead!"  
And then it happened, as something invisible in my path sent me crashing to the empty ground.  
All at once I could feel the wind knocked out of me and released a pained, but silent groan. Probably like I became a dying hyena or something similar.   
I felt something sticking to my face and wiped it off to find brown dirt sticking to my hand. I barely had a moment to see it before it fell through me, just like the snow did, and returned to the earth below.   
I couldn't understand, why did I not see a thing around me?   
It almost felt like a nightmare I couldn't pull myself out of.   
I looked behind me to see what I could have tripped on but like everything else, there was nothing.   
Fear swept through my body and I started to pull myself up, wiping nonexistent dirt off my body. It already fell off on its own of course, why would it be anything different?  
A heavy exhale left my lips as I readjusted my shirt, the smirking ball of fire design looking back to me.   
"Great, my own clothes are taunting me now."   
With a shake of my head, I released my shirt and looked around me. Snow still fluttered, but something else caught my attention.   
Not a scent, nor any other color, but a sound.   
A sound so familiar, I could feel my body becoming energized just listening to it.   
I pushed onward, dragging my feet along the ground for the off chance I could fall again.   
The sound was becoming louder, more clear. The music lulled my senses, calming the fears that nearly put me to tears.   
I couldn't help a smile spreading across my face.   
Wherever it was coming from, a person had to be playing it, right?  
They... They had to be.  
A small shape in the distanced caused me to squint, trying to make out what it was. Though it was too far to make out from here.   
Picking up my pace, I continued until I could see what it was.   
A flash of red, and then of black, and before I knew it, I was standing before a table. It was... Playing itself?  
A long turntable, flashing and playing music with nobody-  
No, that wasn't right.   
Though dim. the agile outlining of fingers spread across the turntable. I almost hadn't noticed until I was looking closely. It was as though the world itself was tuning me out of existence.   
"Is someone there?" I tried but received no answer.   
My fingers glided across the table, seemingly the first thing that didn't fall through my body.   
Without thinking, I outstretched my arm and gently touched the hand, which caused it to stop playing in an instant.   
"Please don't leave me alone," Tears stung my eyes, "I'm scared, I don't know what happened. I don't even know if I'm dead." I closed my eyes as the tears began to roll down my face. I didn't remember ever having cried so much, not even as a small child.   
"Please..." I didn't expect an answer. If anything, I expected to fall right through them in a moment.   
And then...  
"Am I supposed to know you?"  
A soft voice, melted in curiosity and confusion.   
I quickly pulled my hand back and wiped my tears away. When I looked back, there was... The world.  
All around me, colors upon colors, and shapes of rocks and trees and even a beautiful blue sky.  
What happened? My legs felt unsteady in the shock.   
My eyes finally landed on the person before me.  
Swift golden locks, and eyes hidden behind dark shades.   
Another boy out here?  
His gaze was steady on me before he lowered it down to the turntables, and to the hand I had touched. Despite not seeing his eyes, I felt like I could read his expression perfectly.   
The way his eyebrows furrowed in thought, and his lips gave a subtle frown, he suddenly looked all around him.   
"Where am I? What was I..." As his voice trailed off, he bit his lip before pressing his palm against his forehead. "What the hell was I doing here?"  
For a long moment, I couldn't find my words.   
Could he really have been in the same situation I was? But how was that possible?   
No, of course, it's possible, I just didn't want it to be. I was hoping... Hoping for some answers.  
The boy turned his back to me, taking in his surroundings carefully. I couldn't help but follow suit, and take in the world around me.   
Particles filtered the air, gleaming with the warm sun reflecting off them. It brought a sense of peace into the strange place, but the mystery still pounded against my head. Where was this place, and who was this boy?  
"Hold up," He suddenly exhaled as though on cue. "I remember now." Even as he spoke, the blond didn't look to me once, his gaze focused towards the trees. "I was hitting the beats for those things."   
"What are you-"   
Upon following his direction, I could see nothing, but the way the boy's shoulders tensed... Could he see something I couldn't?   
"Dude go run or something." He looked back for only a moment, but his focus was not on me. Instead, he quickly pulled something out from under the tables, revealing a long, silver sheathe.  
"Is that a sword!?"  
I nearly fell back but the boy didn't respond. He pulled a thin katana from the sheathe and thrust it in the air. It hit some invisible friction. As he pulled back, the sword found itself covered in green goop.  
"Did I stutter?" The boy rose his voice. "Go already, I got this covered faster than the lovechild of Roadrunner and Sonic runs."  
Something struck my heart. Fear for sure, how could I not be afraid? But also anger. How could I just be expected to leave this guy behind after I spent so much time in that nothingness? I refuse to be alone again!  
"Hell no," I quickly shot back, "You expect me to just run away right now? What are these things? Why can't I see them?"  
He whipped around, lodging his sword in another. The splatter shot across the dirt but the boy didn't seem bothered in the slightest.   
He opened his mouth to speak but before I could hear his words, pain gripped my leg. I barely had time to look at the cut across my jeans and the blood I felt running down my skin before another appeared. A cry left my lips before I could stop it and without thinking, I kicked out, making contact. It felt small and light, and I could push it away easily but the creature was back to pushing against me in an instant. Or perhaps it was a new one, I couldn't exactly tell.   
Without warning, I found myself covered in green goop and was looking into the strange guy's face. He drew back his sword and exhaled.   
"If you're not going to run, don't make me have to save you every five seconds."  
"It's my fault, isn't it?" The idea came to me quickly. It had to be it. "You were playing that music to keep them away, and I distracted you. What are they? How come I can't see them?"  
"You're asking too many questions right now. Maybe I'll explain later if you survive." The boy nodded to the sheathe on the ground, his blond locks brushing across his shades. "Grab that and hold off what you can. If you won't run, smack em' up a bit."  
I obeyed, running forward and sweeping it off the ground, but I still couldn't see a thing. Something sharp stabbed into my foot, causing me to nearly fall before I brought the sheathe down, causing it to make contact with the creature.   
The sound of a screech cursed my ears, making my mind feel like it was being split in half. What the hell was this!?  
The horrid sound wrapped around my brain, attacking me from the inside.   
Unable to resist the pain, I was forced to drop the sheathe to cover my ears, but I couldn't erase the pain that was already inside my mind.   
More sharp attacks stabbed at my legs and feet but I was feeling... Too dizzy to fight back or bring my body to react.  
It was too late, everything was fading.  
....  
.....  
......  
.......  
I heard gentle voices whispering not far off, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I was alive then?  
I had to be, but my body was killing me. More specifically, from the waist down. That's right, those creatures got me good, didn't they?  
As I opened my eyes, the first thing I could see was luscious green leaves dancing across my vision in accordance with the gentle wind.   
"That doesn't make any sense," An unfamiliar voice came into focus. "It's not possible to enter the medium without even having the game."  
"Look, dude," I could make out the voice from the boy from earlier. Had he saved me? "I know just as much as you do. It's like he came out of nowhere. Popped into bullshit existence. And when he touched my hand..." There was a pause as his voice trailed off before he sighed. "I forgot even my own name for a minute."

"Is there a glitch in the game?"

"I don't fucking know." There was the shuffling of leaves before my sight was clouded by something else.   
No, it was the blond boy, sitting over me. He snapped his fingers beside my face, pulling me back to the living world- Or, whatever this place was.   
Damn, my legs were killing me. How bad were they? I jolted up without thinking, immediately hitting our heads together and falling back.   
"Dude what the hell," The blond frowned and rubbed his forehead where I had hit him. "What a lameass thanks I get for pulling you away from the imps."  
Imps?  
It took a second for the pain against my forehead to register. It wasn't as bad as my legs but it was still enough to make me hold my hand against it.   
"Who are you anyway?" He sat back, allowing me enough room to pull myself to a sit.   
My legs... Weren't as bad as I thought. Blood stained my pants but the injuries only looked to be some cuts and small bites. Deep enough to make me feel numb for sure, but... I could wiggle my toes.   
"Introductions," The blond continued. "They're usually what people start with when they first meet. My name is Dave, what is yours." Despite his sarcastic tone, he didn't exactly sound irritable.   
"Ah-" I shook my head, trying to ground myself back on Earth again. "Sorry, It's (y/n)."  
"Hey, I'm John!" Another boy waved from where he sat in a pile of leaves. His messy black hair and oversized glasses made him look like a dorky animated character but he wasn't exactly bad looking.  
"Where am I?" I looked to Dave, then to John, who only looked at each other before turning back to me.   
"Land of Wind and Shade obviously." Dave finally answered. "We were mining for resources when imps attacked."  
"And Dave discovered they liked music, so he was playing while I worked!" John gave a lopsided grin.  
As... Interested as it sounded, I still had no idea what was happening or where I really was.   
I looked around me, trees surrounded every direction.   
And then to the ground, where the grass painted a gentle blue. Blue grass?  
"Am I in some sort of limbo or-"  
"You really have no idea, do you?" Dave adjusted his sunglasses before pulling himself up.   
His red cape swept behind him, and a strange gear symbol was painted upon his shirt. The other boy offered a hand down, which I took and allowed assistance in standing.   
For a moment, I felt my knees were going to buck under the pain but I got my footing quickly and exhaled.   
"You didn't join Sburb?" John added, tilting his head curiously. His clothes were fairly similar, but blue instead of red, and a long sock-like hood circled around his body.   
That name, why did it sound so familiar? Why couldn't I remember? I must have heard it before, was it involved in what was happening to me?  
Dave must have seen my confusion because he sighed softly and crossed his arms.   
"The game came out a while ago, this is what that is. We're playing Sburb, and this is John's medium."  
"Game?" I felt my heart nearly stop. Yes, I remember now. "My little siblings were fighting about a game last I saw them," I looked to the other guys but they didn't say a word, letting me continue. "They mentioned Sburb and asked if they could use my computer. And I..." My heart twisted in ways I'd never felt before. This pain and worry, and grief all wrapped up in one disgusting package. "I said yes if they shared. They must have used my email, and..."   
It was all coming together in one repulsive puzzle.   
"You weren't supposed to be in the game, but they got you involved anyway." Dave nodded in understanding. "So when that meteor hit, the game didn't know what to do with you."  
"But..." John's eyebrows furrowed. "Wouldn't we have seen your siblings? It's just been the four of us since we started. Dave, Rose, Jade, and me."  
"How long?" As much as I tried to hide the fear in my voice, it was almost impossible at this point. "How long has the game been going? How long was I wandering that void? How long have they been dead?"  
The boys fell silent for a long, drawn-out minute before Dave finally looked down. "Maybe about six years. They never made it to the medium. Not without a server player."  
I was expecting that, but it didn't make the blow hurt any less. My siblings died playing this game, my family was killed by the meteor and me?   
I couldn't do anything.   
It was unbecoming of me to start crying but once the first tear fell, I couldn't stop the following ones.  
What sort of older brother lets their younger siblings die just like that? If I had just said no, maybe if I took that dumb game away and let it collect dust in the attic, or even just break it into a million pieces, then...  
No, it was too late for any of that.   
John and Dave remained silent until the blond cleared his throat. "Hey Egbert, give us a minute."

My eyes were too blurry with tears to see anything other than a blue blob stand and exit into the trees. Once he left, I could only let myself fall to my knees. Did they never even have a chance?  
I never even said goodbye.  
Dave took a seat beside me and I felt his arm around my shoulders but comfort was the last thing I could think about.   
"I had a fight with my mother before I left." I finally mustered the words and wiped an eye. "She was always on me about being perfect, but I had the wrong idea the entire time," He remained quiet as I released all my feelings, despite barely knowing him. "She didn't hate me or was ashamed of how I was. She just wanted... Wanted me to be the best I could be. And I yelled at her and stormed away. And then the meteor came and... She's gone too. Everyone, they're all gone."  
I felt Dave's hold tighten before he scoot closer.   
"Damn dude, that really sucks." He muttered out before frowning some. "Look man I'm not good at this pep talk shit but you wanna take it out on some imps?"  
"I thought I couldn't see them." It was obvious to see he was trying to take my mind off it. It was... Nice. But even still, the pain wouldn't go away.   
"You had also just exited the void. The game wasn't ready for you to jump in. Come on, let's give it a go."  
With a squeeze to my shoulder, Dave stood up and offered his hand again, but I decided against taking it and pulled myself up. It wasn't that I wasn't grateful for the help but... I'm farther into this game than my siblings got, I have to stand on my own and survive to carry on their memory. If I don't, then who will?  
"Where's your family?" I asked without thinking. Dave rose his eyebrows in surprise before his lips curved into an almost unnoticeable frown and he turned away.   
"No idea, doesn't matter. I know my bro is alive somewhere, that's all I need to know."

With a flick of his hand, Dave led the way into the forest. I almost felt guilty for asking about his family in a situation like this. Everyone must have lost someone, right? I mean, a damn meteor hit the planet, only the people who started the game even had a chance. 

"Oh yeah," The blond looked back before reaching for the air, as though he were grabbing something. And right then, a large sword was pulled from seemingly nowhere. Wrapped in a golden sheathe with a handle dark as night, he offered it out calmly. But as though he read my mind, Dave sighed, 

"A sylladex, Sburb's inventory system. It was my brother's. You need a weapon, don't you?"

"Can I really-"

"Just take it."

The boy didn't even let me finish before forcing the weapon into my hands. Could I really just use this? Did I even know how...? I'd never even pushed someone before, and now I was expected to use a katana?! 

I quickly shook off the nervousness, though I still felt it in the back of my mind. Maybe he was right about releasing my feelings. Too many emotions swirled in my mind at once, none of them good. 

Tightening my hold on the sword, I quickened my pace to walk beside him. 

"What's with the suits you're wearing?" I fixed a look at the red pajamas. Some sort of game uniform?

Dave gave a shrug at the question before responding. "God Tier. It's some dumb shit, I dunno. I guess I'm the Knight of Time but apparently that means I see other doomed timeline versions of myself lying on their asses like they forgot what an ass is trying to spend their lives discovering the miracles of the Strider ass." 

He said it with such a straight face, I couldn't be sure the appropriate response for a minute. All I figured to do was nod, acting like I understood a word of what that just meant. Still, he continued.

"John is the Heir of Breath, I won't bother talking about the absolute stupidity of the pun but he can do wind shit. Pretty neat I guess. The girls have God Tiers I could talk about too but it looks like we're surrounded." Without a warning, he drew his sword. 

"What-!" 

I hadn't even noticed the imps had encircled us while we were walking. Had I really been so focused on Dave that I didn't pay attention to something like that? Damn, why did I get distracted?

He was right though, I could see them this time. 

They were small, green creatures with hats of a jester and large sharp teeth. 

If I didn't know any better, I'd think they were bridge trolls. 

"These ones are basic," Dave explained. "Luckily they aren't the imps of this land, those a pain in the ass, even for me. Not like I'd admit that to just anyone but you're cool I guess."

His feet swept across the ground, brushing up the fallen leaves in a perfect half-circle of empty space. And with a flick of his wrist, the katana was plunged into one of the imps that let out one of those painful screeches before it dropped dead. 

"Get them in the chest." Dave pat his own chest. "Kill them before they blow your ears off."

The imps made animalistic noises, snapping their teeth and clicking their long claws. 

As they moved closer, panic set in. Just kill them like that!? My leg still ached from their attack, but I couldn't just... I couldn't just kill these creatures, could I?

Suddenly, Dave's voice pulled me from my thoughts. 

"Focus will you, (y/n)? Do you want to die too? These assholes could have killed them."

Right, he was right. It wasn't just letting off steam. This game, these creatures, whatever it was that made them draw their last breath, it doesn't matter. They died in Sburb, the game itself was at fault. And anything produced by the game-!

Without thinking, the sword was unsheathed. It felt so natural to run forward and feel the resistance as it plunged deep into the imp's small body. It didn't even shriek before it fell. As I rose my eyes to it, I drew back the sword, sliding it out of the imp's throat and coating it with the creature's blood. 

I had to avoid looking at the lifeless body, but the other imps gave no mind to the fallen as the dived to attack. The sword was like an extended arm, moving without weight, without constraints. I began losing count of the ones that were falling, but I could feel my hands becoming sticky with the bloody spatter, I could only think about... How much I wanted them gone, how many I needed to kill and give payback to, that before I even realized it, they were all dead and my sword clashed with Dave's. 

"Dude, calm down." His voice was soft, yet firm. "You got them all, don't be coming after me."

It wasn't until I felt my body becoming grounded again did the exhaustion set in, and my arms feel tired. I hadn't even realized how the wounds in my legs were absolutely throbbing in pain and I couldn't stand any longer. Before I fell to my knees, the sword slipped from my hands and lightly hit the blue grass and leaves below. 

"I'm... I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say. 

What were you supposed to say? I had just turned my sword against someone I was starting to trust and maybe even care for. 

The sword he himself gave me. 

Dave lowered the katana before plunging it into the dirt and kneeling in front of me. By all means, I was expecting to be yelled at. Instead, he placed his hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up. 

His golden locks traced his face, carefully outlining his cheeks and hiding his eyebrows. As much as I tried to see his eyes, his sunglasses blocked me from seeing even an outline. I couldn't figure out what he was feeling at all, it was almost scary. 

"Are you mad?" I finally ushered. His lips twitched before he exhaled and pulled his hand away. 

"Obviously not. Literally, your hit was weaker than my brother's." Although he tried to make light of the situation, I didn't feel much better. 

The blond adjusted his sunglasses when I didn't reply, before suddenly pulling them off. Instantly, I found myself staring into his sharp, red irises. 

His eyes narrowed ever so softly, and I could see my own reflection in them. Much better than if I were looking into his glasses.

"See, not mad." He confirmed again. "Wouldn't take off my wicked shades to someone I was pissed at."

With that, he offered his hand for assistance in pulling me up. I didn't take it again, but this time, it wasn't to stand up on my own. I didn't even feel like I could stand. It was a feeling indescribable. New, maybe. Good or bad, I couldn't tell. 

"What, don't like holding another boy's hand? It's not like I'm asking to marry you." He tried to joke but followed up with it by lowering himself down to a criss-cross instead. 

"Look man, I have no fucking idea what's bothering you. I already said I'm not mad, and you wiped those imps out like a damn tiger. Maybe I could help if I knew what's up. Is it about your family again?"

No, not this time. I was still hurt of course but, it was something new and almost angry. 

"I don't know." The words left my lips in a sigh. "I really don't know. My emotions have been a fucking disaster since I left the void." 

He gave an understanding nod before slipping his shades back on. 

"Sometimes it's just like that. Emotions are a bucket full of putrid 'what the fuck is this shitty garbage nobody took to the curb' but then you realize 'hey some of this garbage is pretty neat I think I'll bring it back inside, even though it smells straight outta vomit' and that's alright. Because it's your trash vomit of an emotion and you don't have to smell it alone."

Whatever he just said, it made me crack an awkward smile. I think it was supposed to be inspirational so I would just pretend it was. 

I didn't give much thought of giving him a hug, and he didn't bother pulling away or cutting it off, letting me weirdly hug him in silence until I was ready to release him. 

"Sorry," I muttered once more, my cheek buried in the red pajama shirt that was oddly really soft. 

"Whatever man." He shrugged it off. "I mean if you wanna make it homo, go ahead."

"I'm not-"

Before I could finish, he decided to return the hug and cut me off. 

"Dude I dunno if you know, but you give off the strongest homo vibes I've seen. We literally met when you touched my hand and faded into existence."

When I couldn't think of a proper reply, we fell into silence. It wasn't awkward. In fact, it was comforting to simply feel such human contact. I didn't feel so alone and afraid of all the things I'd just faced.

These problems, this situation, every small blow to my heart, they weren't things I could just... Get over in a day. Even if I did take an interest in Dave as he said, I barely even knew him, but he was going out of his way to help me, and be there when I could have been alone instead. 

This game was my enemy, and if I won it, and destroyed the game how I could, maybe that would be enough, as long as my ally was here next to me.


End file.
